Door separator and track for door runways in display cases



Nov. 14, 1933. jvo -r l,934,834

DOOR SEPARATOR AND TRACK FOR DOOR-RUNWAYS IN DISPLAY CASES Filed June 14, 1928 /NVENTR g ay TTOA'NEY Patented Nov. 14, 1933 ;UNITED ST-ATES DOOR SPARATOR AND TRACK FOR DOOR v RUNWAYS IN DISPLAY `CASESV Albert Voigt, New York, N. Y. i

Application June 14, 1928. Serial No. .285,410 4 Claims., (c. 16 1o`0`- This invention relates to display cases having an opening for affording access to the case and having runways in the top and bottom in rela tion to saideopening for the mounting of doors,

i 5 and particularly glass doors, therein to .have sliding movement one relative to the other, and it is the object of the inventionto provide improved means to be mounted in said runways to serve as separators 'for the doors in. theupperrunways 'and the means in the lower runway to serve as a combined door Separator and 'track for a door supporting roller 'carriage`, and to provide means for this purpose wherein apart thereof is adapted tobe ofiset into'the wall of theprunways to sefcure andretain the same against displacement therein. e A e It isa further object of the invention to provide an improved 'door Separator andacombined door Separator and track constructedor drawn ?up from a single piece of sheet metaland arranged with, anintermediate and long'itudinally extending parting member and the lateral marginal pori tions at each side of the parting member fianges to extend parallel with the parting member-and 5 adapted tobe offset into the wall of the runways to retain the same in the runways, and the combined Separator and track mounted inthe lower runway having a portion intermediate the parting memberand'marginal flanges offset in the direction of the parting-member "toprovide the same with roller engaging rails. y

Another object of the invention relates to i an improved Separator and a combined Separator and trackmeans which may be readily adapted or'usein connection with runways of' different 'widths and for usein connection with doors of different thickness. Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.` u i p y i -In the drawingaccompanying and forming a part of this-'application' Figura-lis a sectional v standing of theinvention, and showing the same .in connection; withthe mounting of 'doors of relative thinness; I i I I Figures'2 and 3 are views similar ,to'Figure 1 ing them for the mounting of doors of increased thickness relative to that shown in Figure 1;

Figures4,-5 and 6 are perspective'views'of iframe members to be applied to, the glass doors for therefor.

showing thearrangement of the'parts for adaptsupporting the same Figure 7` is a perspective View of a Separator adapted for mounting in a runway in the top of a display :case for engagement between the top upon rollers or carriers marginal portion of the doors to separateand guide the doors; and i i' Figure '8 is a persp ective View of the combined separator and track'for mounting in the lower 'runway; ii

In the drawing I have shown an embodiment of the invention in connection with a display case, only so much of the case being shown as is deemed essential to an understanding of the invention, and designated in a 'general Way by -A. To afiord accessto the case it is provided with an opening, usually in the front, which is closed by doors 9,

in the'present instance constructed entirely of glass; which have' longitudinal sliding movement one relative to'the other-in runwayslo, ll, of channel sha-pe incross section, in the top and bottom of the case in relation to said opening To maintain the doors in spaced relation and ;permit offree' and' easy movement of the doors a Separator is mounted in the upper runway and' a combined Separator and track is' m'ounted in the lower runway for 'the movement of a door sup porting roller carriage along the same. The separator in the upperrunway is constructedand formed,'as by drawing, from a single sheet or strip of metal and 'comprises an 'intermediate parting member 12 formed by folding the strip longitudinally upon itself with the opposite portions of the fold in spaced relation and longitudinal marginal portions 13 fianged to extend outwardly at a right a glef to theparting member,

and said outwardly flanged portions fianged'to extend in the same direction as and parallel to the not only serve toposition the parting member centrally in the runway but also serve as' the means to secure the Separator againstdisplacement in the runway. For this purpose the ma-V i -terial of said flanges 14 is ofiset outwardly into thewall of *the runway,` usually made of wood.

This may be done y bulging outwardly the marginal edge portion of thematerial of the flanges and imbedding the same in the wall of the runway, or said flanges may bearranged with tongues the edge to adjacent the juncture thereof with the fianges 13, as atl, and after the separator has been engage-d in the runway spreading said tongues outwardly and orcing them into the walls of the runways.

The combined Separator and track arranged in the runway 11 is of the same structure as the Separator for the upper runway except that the intermediate folded portions 12 comprising the parting member are arranged in contiguous relation to each other and the outwardly fianged portions 13 are offset to arcuate shape in cross' section in a direction towardand' to extend parallelly of and in spaced relation-to the parting member 12 and flanges 14, the ofiset portions 16 constituting track rails and the portions of the fianges 13 at the opposite sides thereof a supporting base therefor to engage the bottom of a door runway. l

The doors are supported to have movement along the rails 16 through roller carriages embodying a carrier 17 of channel shape in cross section, rollers 18 having peripheral grooves to correspond in shape to the rails being rotatably mounted on pins 19'fixed in the opposite legs of the channel carrier, the rollers being of a diameter so that a peripheral portion of the rollers will project through openings in the connecting portion of the channel carrier and beyond the legs thereof, as clearly shown in the drawing.

The doors are supported upon the rollers to have longitudinal movement and to prevent the possible chipping of the doors When made of glass a metal rame 20 of channel shape in cross section is engaged upon the bottom edge, of the door with a member 21 of suitable cushioning material interposed between the edge of the door and the connecting portion of the channel frame.

The Separator for the upper runway is ormed with the opposite folded portions of the parting member 12 equallyspaced apart for the entire length thereofland; to adapt the samelfor mounting in a runway of decreased width the opposite portions of 'the partin'g member are ,pressed together-so that the -folded portions will converge in a direction from the connecting port tion to the ends arranged with the flanges 13, as shown at 22 in Figure- 1.

In the use of a separator in a runway of a width approximately the same as' that of the fianges 13 with the opposite portions of the -parting member extending in spacedand parallel relation, asshown in Figures 2 and 7, a spacingmember is engaged between the portions of the parting member, as shown at 23 in Figure 2, thus maintaining the folded portions of the parting member in spaced relation and the flanged portions Min contiguous relation with theside walls of the runway. i A Should the runway be of agreater width a spacing member 'of V or wedge shape isxengaged between the portions of the parting member at V the juncture thereof With the anges 13; as shown The channel rame member 20 65 t V sheet metal drawn to form; and to cause the leg at 2 1 inFigure 3. r w v i for engagement upon' the edge of'the door is made of yielding portions of' said member to'firmyengage the opposite surfaces of the door the space between the free marginel-portions of the opposite channellegs of said member is arranged of less width v than the connecting portion 22 of said legs, which e may be efiected by converging the legs from the connecting portion, asclearly shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6. To adapt 'said frame for engagement upon a door of less thickness within' the connecting portion of the channel legs the one leg is oiset inwardly, as at 25 in Figures 1 and 4, and to adapt such frame member for mounting upon a door of greater thickness one leg of said frame member is ofiset outwardly, as at 26 in Figures 3 and 6, or both legs may be offset, as described. These frames are engaged upon the door when only one of the legs is offset so that the oifset portion will be at the outer side of one door and at the inner side of the other door, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 3.

The parting members are of a length to extend between the doors to maintain the doors in spaced 'relation and co-operate with the lateral walls of the runways to guide the doors in their movement. To adapt the Separator and track for runways of greater width the opposite portions of the parting member are spread by the engagement of a wedge therebetween, as shown at 27 in Figure 3.

In the method of mounting the Separator in the upper runway as shown in Figure 1 the flanged ends of the opposite folded portions 12 are moved in a direction toward each other to such an extent as to permit of the engagement of the Separator inthe runway with the flanges 14 to engage the side walls of the runway, and when the flanges 13 are seated against the bottom of the runway the material of the flanges 14 are ofiset into the side walls of the runway, this being facilitated bythe arrangement of the lips 15;

In the method of mounting the Separator in the runwayshown in Figure 2, the spacer 23 is first partiall'y inserted between the folds 12, this spacer preferably being' slightly tapered, when the Separator is forced into the runway the spacer engaging the bottom of the runway is simultaneously forced between the folds' 12 and spreading the same causing the flanges '14 to 'firmly engage with the side walls of the runway when portions of such flanges are offset into the wall of the runway.

The method of mounting the Separator and the combined Separator and track in the runways in Figure 3 is the same as that described in connection withthe mounting of the'separator in the runway in Figure 2, the spacers 24.- and 27 'being in the form of a wedge but of a width less which maybe readilyadapted for doors of differ ent thickness, and that various modifications may be' made in the Construction and arrangement of such 'parts withoutdeparting from? the scope of the invention. Having thus described my invention I claim:

l. The combination with a 'display case having a longitudinal groove in 'the base thereof, of means to provide the groove with parallel door supporting roller runways comprising'a plate folded upon itself midway of its sides with the longitudinal marginal portions fianged laterally to opposite sides to engage the bottomof the groove and the marginal'portion of said flanges flanged to extend parallel with the intermediate folded portion and engage the side walls of the groove, :and a wedge member engaged between the' intermediate folded portion to spread the `tions flanged laterally at right angles to opposame and impinge the marginal flanges against the side walls of the groove and position the intermediate folded portion centrally of the groove to serve as a door parting member.

2. In a Separator for door runways of display' cases and the like, a metallic piate folded upon itself midway of its sides substantially to U shape in cross section to constitute a door parting member and the longitudnal marginal portions of the plate fianged to extend laterally from opposite sides of the folded portions and adapted to engage the bottom of the runway, and the marginal portions of said fianges fianged to extend in parallel relation to the folded portions and adapted to lie contiguous to the side walls of the runway and space the 'separator centraily therein and portions of said lateral flanges offset into the walls of the door runway to secure and support the Separator therein, and a spacing member engaged in the space between the folded portions to spread said portions and impinge the marginal fianges against the walls of the runway.

3. In a lining and guidng means for sliding doors in channel runways of display cases, an elongated metallic plate folded upon itself mid- Way of the longitudinal edges to extend in paral- 1e1 relation and the longitudinal marginal porsite sides of the folded portion to engage the bottom of the runway, and the marginal portion of each of said laterally flanged portions fianged to extend parallel with the folded portion' and engage the side walls of the channel runway and spacing the folded portion centrally of the runway to serve as a door parting member, and the marginal flanged portions offset into 'the wall of the runway to secure the lining and guiding means in the runway. i

4. In a lining and track for sliding doors in runways of display cases, a sheet metal member ALBERT VOIGrT. 

